Freehold resident named to chair new state panel

Frank Argote-Fryre FREEHOLD — Frank Argote-Freyre of Freehold Borough has been named the chairman of New Jersey’s Commission on New Americans.

The commission was created last week through an Executive Order issued by Gov. Jon S. Corzine in the waning days of his administration. The creation of such a panel was a recommendation of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigration Policy.

The administration of Republican Gov. Chris Christie took control of the governor’s office on Jan. 19. Asked to comment on the creation of the new group, Maria Comella, a spokeswoman for Christie, said the state’s new chief executive “will have to take a closer look at this commission.”

In a press release, Corzine said, “We are taking a necessary step in creating a comprehensive statewide strategy that will successfully weave immigrants into the economic, social and civic fabric of our communities and of our state.”

In an interview, Argote-Freyre said the Commission on New Americans would oversee interdepartmental collaboration regarding immigrant integration policies in New Jersey.

Argote-Freyre said he was excited about taking the reins of the commission and is looking forward to the challenges the position will hold. He said the commission would focus on immigrants of all ethnic backgrounds.

“Not just Hispanic immigrants,” he said. “We have many ethnic groups in New Jersey, including a very large Eastern Asian population. My goal as chairman of the commission will be to bring together the community, to integrate immigrants into the fabric of the statewide community.”

Argote-Freyre said the Commission on New Americans will be a nonpartisan body.

“These issues exist regardless of political power,” he explained. “Good ideas are not Democratic or Republican. We were created by Gov. Corzine, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be valuable to Gov. Christie, too.”

According to the press release, the major responsibilities of the Commission on New Americans will include advising the governor of the following:

• How to best achieve immigrant integration, the delivery of services and programs in a cost neutral manner, consistent with mission and quality;

• Developing a strategy for the implementation of those recommendations made by the panel that will foster successful integration of the immigrant population in New Jersey;

• Creating a resource guide that will navigate and support the approximately 1.8 million immigrants through the maze of state and local resources that provide targeted services to immigrants, including referrals to nonprofit and faith-based organizations, English language acquisition, citizenship accreditation and qualification services, and employment.

Corzine’s Executive Order states that immigrants make up 20 percent of New Jersey’s population and have made substantial contributions to the state’s economic, social, cultural, political and academic sectors, and that immigrants power the state’s economy, making up 28 percent of the workforce in the state and bringing in 23 percent of all earnings statewide.

Argote-Freyre is the chairman of the Monmouth County Chapter of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey. A native of northern New Jersey who is of Cuban descent, he calls himself an “accidental activist,” being led to the issue by people and events, more so than him finding it.

He began his career as a journalist after graduating from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. He later earned his doctorate in Latin American history at Rutgers University.

While working for the Asbury Park Press, from 1987-93, Argote-Freyre wrote a column about minority issues called “Crossroads.” The content dealt with civil rights issues involving many ethnic groups. He later became the press secretary for Congressman (now U.S. Sen.) Robert Menendez.

Argote-Freyre was appointed to the Freehold Borough Human Relations Committee in 2001 by Mayor Michael Wilson.

“When I joined the committee, little did I know what crisis was brewing in Freehold Borough,” Argote-Freyre said, referring to the subsequent closure of a public gathering space that was being used by day laborers as an employment zone. A federal lawsuit followed the closure of the muster zone and “I was sort of thrown into it immediately, hence, the accidental activist,” he said.

Since that incident more than five years ago, Argote-Freyre has been an advocate for Freehold Borough’s Latino residents. He later helped to establish the Monmouth County Chapter of the Latino Leadership Alliance.

“We really needed local and county organization to represent civil rights for the Latino community,” he said. “After we succeeded in getting the muster zone back, after a federal lawsuit, the alliance became more active here working on civil rights issues. Some political battles are successful, others are not.

“Advocacy is not always in your face,” he said. “Some issues are more informative and genteel and include things such as a fundraiser for a sick child, the annual Latino Festival held in downtown Freehold Borough every year and the sanctuary program, which provides breakfast several days a week for anyone who needs it,” he said. “The alliance has become the voice of civil rights, not just for the Latino community, but for all ethnic groups.”

Argote-Freyre said his goal as chairman of the Commission on New Americans will be to ease the state’s immigrant community into the larger fabric of the county and state.

“It’s a worthwhile effort,” he said.

Argote-Freyre is currently an assistant professor at Kean University, Union, where he teaches Latin American history and Latino studies courses.